As my children have become teenagers, I’ve had to adjust our family’s travel style in ways that you may not expect, if you’re not yet parenting teens. I’ve actually had to slow down the pace of travel. Don’t get me wrong, they still expect there to be adventure and new experiences but in a more unpressured and unstructured way.
Welcome to Kiawah Island Golf Resort on Kiawah (pronounced KEE-a-wah) Island, just 21 south of Charleston, South Carolina. As you drive the winding country road lined with majestic Live oak trees dressed in Spanish moss, you can start to feel your worries just fall away. By the time you reach this gated resort, you’re ready to find a porch, settle into a rocking chair, and order a tall glass of Sweet Tea. The resort encompasses nearly the entire 10-mile-long island with the exception of about 2,300 acres of protected natural areas held by the Kiawah Conservancy. It’s this natural setting — free from touristy boardwalks and saltwater taffy shops — that sets Kiawah apart.
The resort is home to five pristine golf courses spread across the island. Each course has its own clubhouse and restaurants plus surrounding vacation rentals and homes. Near the center of the island, you’ll find The Sanctuary, an elegant five-star hotel with an unsurpassed level of service, complete with its own guest-only pools and a spa. For all resort guests — including those staying at one of the many rentals on the island, there are two other pool complexes, parks, playgrounds, a free nature center and an awarding tennis center. But perhaps the biggest draw for our family is the wide, uncrowded beach — the setting for spectacular morning sunrises worth getting up for.
What to know about COVID-19 restrictions
Of course, COVID-19 restrictions are subject to change, but when we visited Kiawah Island, masks were required for indoor spaces; guests were encouraged to maintain social distancing in outdoor spaces. Restaurants were open, but tables were widely spaced. Because of limited capacity, reservations were imperative. Guests also had to make reservations to use the Night Heron Pools. You were required to call in the morning to secure a spot, and while you could come at any time, you were limited to one swim session per day.
KidTripster Tip: Regardless of COVID-19 restrictions, be aware of the opening hours for restaurants and recreation centers. We were surprised by how early the Night Heron Pools closed; the slides shut down at 3 p.m. and the pools at 4 p.m. during the time of our visit. And we never did make it to the Beaches & Cream ice cream shop at The Sanctuary with its oh-so-tempting sundaes, because it closed at 3 p.m. during the week.
While Kiawah Island Golf Resort caters to families with children of all ages, here are my top picks for things to do with teens during your stay.
1. Bike for miles and miles
One of our family’s favorite activities on Kiawah Island is the simple joy of biking. The island has 30 miles of flat bike trails in addition to ten miles of hard-pack sand for beach biking. I loved getting up just before sunrise and riding my bike along the ocean — just me, a few other early risers and a family of deer. Yes, every morning, I saw the same deer pay a pre-dawn visit to the beach! While my teens never sacrificed their sleep for the sunrises, they did love the freedom of hopping on their bikes and exploring the island on their own.
Bike rentals are available from a half day to a week. Cost: 4-7 days/$65 including lock; helmets available upon request.
KidTripster Tip: For your convenience, have your bikes delivered to your vacation property free of charge on the first day of your stay.
KidTripster Tip: If you want to bike in the evening, bring headlamps. To protect hatching turtles, there’s very little nighttime lighting on the island.
That all being said, the island is bigger than you think. You likely will need a car or will need to use the free on-demand shuttle to get you and your clubs to the golf course or to go to dinner at a restaurant not near your accommodations.
2. Golf in a stunningly beautiful location
Kiawah Island is a golf resort that attracts golfers from around the country. It boasts five courses, including the championship Ocean Course. Because of the cost and difficulty, I would not recommend these courses for beginners. But, if like my son, your teen is a skilled golfer looking for a challenge, Kiawah Island will not disappoint. Cost: Varies, depending on the course and season; Youth (17 and under) pay half price with a golfing adult.
KidTripster Tip: If you’re visiting in the spring or fall, make sure to make your tee times at least two months in advance. Also, be aware that the courses do have a dress code.
3. Seek out birdies of different kind
Your scorecard is not the only place where you’ll find birdies on Kiawah Island. Feathered friends abound! The Kiawah Island Recreation Department offers guided birding excursions for a fee. Cost: $40/person. However, you can do a little birdwatching on your own out at the Ocean Course (or frankly, anywhere you find water). Just follow the path toward the tee box on Hole 10; it’ll bring you to Willet Pond. Here, we saw a hawk, osprey, egret, blue-winged teal and red-winged blackbird, all in a matter of minutes. Then head to the beach right in front of the clubhouse for shorebird viewing: herons, sandpipers, piping plovers and more.
KidTripster Tip: Bring a pair of binoculars or use the zoom lens on your camera for better viewing.
If you’re a shell collector, you’ll be in the right place on the island to look. Beyond the clubhouse, the shoreline becomes a protected nature preserve. Keep walking about a quarter mile toward the end of the island. Just before you come to the spit, you’ll find a treasure trove of fully-intact sand dollars, mostly near the water’s edge. This stretch is also the best place to find shells at low tide, both at the high tide mark and the waterline.
4. Challenge your teens to a game of tennis or pickleball
Are your teens as competitive as mine? Head over to the Roy Barth Tennis Center for a game of tennis or pickleball. (Pickleball seems more like a vacation activity, doesn’t it?) You can rent racquets on site; make sure to reserve courts in advance. Cost for resort guests: Tennis court $39/hour, tennis racquet rental $9.50; pickleball court $30/hour, pickleball racquet rental $5.
5. Introduce your teens to Southern cuisine
In my opinion, not partaking in some good ole’ Lowcountry cuisine would be a huge miss on your Kiawah Island vacation. And with a number of restaurants on the property, your family doesn’t need to go far. Our favorites included the sweet cornbread smothered with honey butter and pulled pork with mustard-based barbeque sauce (that’s the way they roll in South Carolina!) at the Cherrywood BBQ & Ale House (Osprey Point Clubhouse), the she-crab soup and fried green tomatoes at the Ryder Cup Bar (Ocean Course Clubhouse), and grits for either breakfast or dinner at Jasmine Porch (The Sanctuary Hotel).
KidTripster Tip: While it wasn’t operating during our stay, the Mingo Point Oyster Roast & BBQ is a family summertime favorite. Due to its popularity, make sure to reserve in advance.
KidTripster Tip: As you may expect, on-site restaurants do come with resort pricing. If you book your rental through the resort website, you may be eligible for a 20% discount on all on-property dining. Make sure to ask how to use this offer when you check in. Or if you’re looking to save money on food, consider a rental property with a kitchen. The best place to stock up off the island is the Harris Teeter supermarket, about a 5-minute drive from the resort.
Also make the time to visit nearby Charleston, a foodie favorite. On our last day in South Carolina before heading to the airport, we took the “Savor the Flavors of Downtown” walking tour with Bulldog Tours. The tour was well-paced, and our guide Beth was incredibly knowledgeable. Seriously, come hungry! Cost: $65/person.
6. Kayak the salt marshes of the Lowcountry
While you can pay to take guided kayak tours of the salt marshes, my kids and I are competent kayakers, so we choose to simply rent kayaks for our own adventure. You’ll want to reserve kayaks in advance and then head to Mingo Point. From there, you’ll paddle down the Kiawah River toward the ocean. The turnaround point is just before Beachwalker Park. Along the way, you’ll see herons, egrets and maybe even a dolphin. We saw one in the distance, but shockingly, it swam more quickly than we could paddle to catch up! 2-hour kayak rental cost: Single $45, Tandem $65. Single kayakers must be at least 14 years old.
The Kiawah Island Recreation Department offers other activities that appeal to teens including surfing lessons and paddleboarding.
7. Witness rare dolphin behavior
While the Kiawah Island Recreation Department does offer dolphin tours, you actually can see rare dolphin behavior for free. It’s called strand feeding. Dolphins work together to herd schools of fish or shrimp up onto sandbars or mudflats. They then launch their bodies out of the water to feed! This only occurs in a few areas around the world, including right here on Kiawah Island.
To watch, park your car or ride your bike to Beachwalker Park. Then head to the beach along Captain Sam’s Inlet. Timing is crucial. You’ll want to visit during the two hours on either side of low tide for your best chance to witness this rare sight.
8. Choose poolside and coastline
It doesn’t matter how old my kids get, they love a good pool. While the Night Heron Pool’s splash pad does appeal to the younger set, my teens still took a turn on the slides. Because we visited in the spring, I appreciated that the pools were heated to 82°F. The resort has a second pool complex — called the West Beach Pool — that’s not heated. The pools at The Sanctuary are reserved for hotel guests only.
Of course, who needs a pool when you have ten miles of ocean? While the water was a bit too chilly for us to swim during our stay, I can imagine it being perfect on a sweltering South Carolina summer day.
9. Take a day trip to Charleston and the surrounding area
Steeped in history and Southern charm, Charleston is a vacation destination in its own right. As difficult as it’ll be to force yourself to leave Kiawah Island, take a day to explore the area. For suggestions, check out KidTripster’s Top 10 Plays in Charleston, selected by our local KidTripster expert.
KidTripster Tip: My family and I are on a quest to visit every national park in the country, so it made sense for us to take a day trip to Congaree National Park about a 2-hour drive from Kiawah Island. The best way to explore Congaree and its primeval old-growth forest is by canoe with Palmetto Outdoors. That being said, if you’re not on a similar national park quest, skip Congaree. It’s honestly an underwhelming park.
10. Be fancy
Even teenagers appreciate the opportunity to dress up and indulge in some fine dining. Kiawah has two offerings: The Atlantic Room (specializing in seafood) at The Ocean Course and The Ocean Room (specializing in steak) at The Sanctuary Hotel. We chose the latter.
This is one of those meals that you and your family will be able to recall years later. From the asparagus panna cotta to the oysters on the half shell to iceberg wedge smothered in blue cheese-buttermilk scallion dressing, you’ll be well-poised to enjoy a perfectly-cooked steak of your choosing (or something else, if you’re not a red-meat eater). Side dishes are served family-style. We highly recommend the lobster mac & cheese and the truffled pomme frites. Whatever you do, save room for dessert. If the housemade banana ice cream is on the menu (in our case, served alongside a chocolate hazelnut torte), order it! I’m not exaggerating when I say that we’re still talking about this ice cream! If they packaged it, we would have left with a gallon!
Clearly, the food at The Ocean Room was delicious and worthy of its many accolades. It’s only equaled by the level of service — the best that we experienced on the island.
KidTripster Tip: Be prepared: pricing befits a very special occasion.
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